This invention relates to a triple pass tunnel finisher. Tunnel finishers are used to remove wrinkles which are set into fabric or garments during the laundry process. In many cases, they are also used to dry the garments after laundering.
Conventional tunnel finishers are commonly referred to as “straight-through” or “U-turn” tunnel finisher based on their shape. In a “straight-through” finisher, damp garments on a hanger enter one end and pass in a straight line through the finisher, exiting on the other end. In a “U-turn” finisher, damp garments on a hanger enter and exit on the same end of the finisher, making a U-turn at the opposite end.
A tunnel finisher finishes a garment by subjecting the garment to a steaming zone and a hot air zone. In the steaming zone, a garment is conditioned with live steam injection before it proceeds to the hot air zone. In the hot air zone, the garment is heated and agitated with hot air to evaporate moisture from the garment. This process causes the fibers in the garment to return to their natural, relaxed, wrinkle free condition.
The efficiency of a tunnel finisher and the quality of the appearance of the garment after processing is dependent on the dwell time of the garment inside the machine. The garment must remain in the finisher for a length of time sufficient to permit the temperature of the garment to be raised to the correct temperature well above the evaporation point of water so that the remaining moisture in the garment is evaporated. Dwell time must also be compatible with the daily production needs.
Conventional tunnel finishers include, in a single cabinet, all of the functioning elements necessary for the operation of the finisher. Therefore, laundries need to purchase a finisher with a capacity large enough to handle present production levels as well as production increases over a long period of time. Most tunnel finishers are manufactured in such a manner that when production levels increase, a new finisher must be purchased.
This invention provides a triple pass tunnel finisher with a full length steam injection chamber and two separate hot air chambers. This allows for a substantially increased dwell time to permit evaporation of the remaining moisture in the garment. Increased dwell time also allows the triple pass tunnel finisher to handle larger production levels than conventional tunnel finishers. Further, the triple pass tunnel finisher is easily expandable in increments at substantially less cost than purchasing complete additional tunnel finishers.